EOTO #1

Women's National Press Club (1919-1971): A Legacy That Still Speaks To Me

In 1919, at a time when women were still fighting for the right to vote and broader professional recognition, a group of determined women journalists in Washington, D.C., founded the Women’s National Press Club (WNPC). Their decision was not simply organizational; it was an act of resistance. Women were excluded from membership in the male-dominated National Press Club (NPC), which had been founded in 1908 and served as a central hub for political networking and influential speakers. Rather than accept exclusion from professional spaces where presidents, diplomats, and policymakers gathered, these women created an institution of their own. Their actions reflected not only ambition, but a refusal to be defined by systemic limitations. Alice Paul, one of the main founders of WNPC and protester for women's suffrage, set the standard for women in the club. Together, their goal was to make President Woodrow Wilson treat women's rights as constitutional amendments by allowing them to speak in the news.

Photo: msmagazine.com (Gil Klein)

Alice Paul (activist and party leader) stands outside of the Lafayette Square headquarters holding a banner that uses President Wilson's words against him. Wilson's quote reads: "The time has come to conquer or submit. For us there is but one choice. We have made it."

The Women’s National Press Club was established to provide women journalists with professional support, networking opportunities, and access to prominent speakers. At a time when women in journalism were often confined to “society” pages or marginalized beats, the WNPC positioned itself at the center of political journalism in Washington, D.C. It ensured that women were present in the same rooms where national conversations were unfolding. This access was transformative. By hosting notable figures, including U.S. presidents and international leaders, the club elevated the professional legitimacy of women journalists and expanded their visibility within the field.

Although the Women’s National Press Association, founded in 1884, also supported women in journalism, its focus centered more heavily on literary advancement and press development. In contrast, the WNPC strategically emphasized direct access to power structures and professional influence in the nation’s capital. This distinction highlights how the Women’s National Press Club was not only about recognition but about positioning women within elite networks where decisions were made and narratives were shaped.

Photo: wpcf.org

Eleanor Roosevelt at her first
press conference as First Lady

The historical impact of the WNPC extended far beyond its founding years. By the time the National Press Club admitted women members in 1971, the work of the Women’s National Press Club had already demonstrated the necessity and capability of women in high-level journalism. In 1985, the two organizations merged, symbolizing a significant shift from institutional exclusion to formal inclusion. The club’s legacy continues through the Washington Press Club Foundation, which promotes journalism education and gender equality within the profession.

What makes this history stand out to me personally is not only the institutional progress it represents, but the mindset behind it. The women who founded the WNPC were told that they did not belong in powerful professional spaces. Instead of shrinking their ambitions, they expanded them. They built something strong enough that the very institution that excluded them eventually had to change. That story resonates with me deeply because I have experienced moments where my own goals were questioned. When I expressed my desire to become a dentist, I was told by my boss that it would be too difficult for me and that I should consider being a hygienist instead. The implication was clear: aim lower, choose what is easier, accept what seems more “realistic.”

Like the women of the Women’s National Press Club, I realized that other people’s perceptions of my limits do not determine my future. Their story reflects the power of striving for what you truly want, even when someone suggests it may be too hard. The WNPC represents women refusing to accept ceilings placed above them. It represents resilience, ambition, and the courage to create opportunity when it is denied. That legacy inspires me because it reinforces a truth I am learning in my own life: progress begins when you decide that “too hard” is not the same as “impossible.”